


Like a Rolling Stone

by silver_drip



Series: Spiraling 'verse [6]
Category: Iron Man - All Media Types, The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types, Thor - All Media Types
Genre: Adolescent!Loki, Adolescent!Tony, F/M, Reunions, Thor's an idiot, aesir!tony
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-08
Updated: 2015-03-08
Packaged: 2018-03-16 22:26:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,846
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3505037
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/silver_drip/pseuds/silver_drip
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tony's perspective of when he first runs into Loki in Niflheim. (Not to be read until after chapter 29 of Our Paths Unfold.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Like a Rolling Stone

**Author's Note:**

> Big thanks to Temul for her wonderful comments and editing skills.

* * *

 

Jarvis spotted her before Tony sensed her.

He could almost picture her, blond hair caught in the cold winds of Niflheim. Undoubtedly she was pouting.

Tony made a sweeping motion with his hand and all his notes and plans disappeared into one of the many chests that lined the walls of his cave.

With an easy spell he heated up a tub of water and began washing himself. If he was going to have company as prissy as her, he might as well smell civilized.

* * *

 

One of the things he liked about Amora was that she was so predictable. He already knew she’d be in a bad mood and why she was coming here.

It was too late in the evening to start a proper hunting trip so Amora would just have to deal with some of the preserved food he kept in his cave.

By the time she was outside his home away from no home, he was fully dressed in clothes that weren’t stained with either blood or soot. Their meal was almost ready.

He felt coldness seep into his dwellings as the first door to the cave was opened. A moment later she walked in, face flushed and pout firmly in place. Jarvis swooped in behind her, perching in a corner.

“Aww, did Mora-Mora get rejected by big blondie again?” Tony asked in a teasing voice. As quick as a whip Amora’s arm shot out, hurling a previously concealed snowball his way. It hit Tony straight on and he had to wipe away the slush before he could retaliate. When he finally had his sight back, he dropped what he was going to say. “You’re such an idiot,” Tony finally said while holding his arms open for her.

Amora chucked aside her heavy traveling cloak and bag before running into his arms, hugging him tightly. He tucked her under his chin and could hear her sniffling.

“Thor goes to every whore house in the realms then gets mad at me when I sleep with another.” She buried her tear stained face against his chest and he let her.

“You should just give up on him. You’re too good for him anyway. Tales of his idiocy have made their way even to my distant ears.” Well, in truth his spy in the castle and the few he had scattered in the other realms told him, but it wouldn’t serve his purpose to admit that.

Amora pushed away from him while wiping her face clean.

“You don’t understand. Our babies were going to be perfect,” she mumbled while walking over to her discarded bag.

“Let’s just hope that any kids he has get their brains from their mother, otherwise all of Asgard is doomed. Well, it’s already doomed,” Tony kept his voice light, joking despite the truth behind his words being multi-faceted. Amora threw a bolt of magic at him that he swatted aside. It made his hand sting like a bitch.

“I just want him to love me,” Amora said while pulling out a bottle and walking over to the kitchen area. She passed off the bottle to Tony who read the label.

“How is it that no one ever notices you steal these from the royal brewery?” Tony uncorked it and smelled the mead that was far superior to what was served daily on Asgard.

“I’m in and out of Thor’s chambers so often that no one notices me elsewhere in the palace.” And that was one of the lesser reasons he put up with her whining. He could use her if necessary for more than just the tidbits of information she unknowingly fed him.

Amora laid out a few other gifts of food and drink for him, as she always did, before starting on making a loaf of bread. It was one of her coping mechanisms and Tony wasn’t about to turn down freshly baked bread.

* * *

 

Amora could feel Tony watching her closely from his bed. She was undisturbed by his steady gaze, used to being ogled at due to her looks. Besides that, he was one of the few males that didn’t constantly try to get her into his bed. It was one of the reasons she had agreed to not tell anyone that he was still alive. He was her escape for when things became too hostile on Asgard or when none of the other realms would have her.

Amora liked that he made his intentions very clear. The few times they encountered each other and he was in a lusty mood, he’d asked her directly if she wanted to have sex. On the rare occasions she turned him down, he’d just shrugged and went on with asking about what had happened since they saw each other last.

It was so… refreshing.

The first time he’d asked they’d met up only twice before in the span of fifty years. His question left her frozen in fear. She was scared that if she turned him down he’d kick her out of his life and she’d lose another friend due to her looks.

Somehow, he had seen through her poorly constructed façade and had told her to calm down, that it was only an offer and that he wouldn’t be mad if she turned him down. He had then compared it to him offering her a drink and that he wasn’t going to be insulted if she turned down a drink or having sex with him. Tony had been so nonchalant, so dismissive that she had punched him on the arm before tackling him to the floor for some good old fashioned romp.

He never expected anything from her, and that was why he was her best friend, even if they only saw each other three or four times a century.

* * *

 

The sound of Amora kneading dough was familiar and let Tony’s mind wander easily.

He knew soon enough she’d start recounting everything that had happened since they last met, before exhausting herself.

Tony was vaguely conflicted. He knew he should discourage her on and off again relationship with Thor. Though she was Aesir nobility, her house’s standing was far below Thor’s. Even if the two fell in love, it was unlikely that Odin would allow them to marry, especially considering Sif’s family was of higher standing and, unlike Amora, her reputation was pristine.

Along with that he knew that if she was in a relationship with Thor when he finally got his revenge she would be devastated, especially if Tony decided to end the prince’s life.

On the other hand, she was a direct vein to the mindset of the young nobility, specifically the two princes. If his plans were to succeed, he needed all the information he could get.

As usual he had a thousand different plans, all equally tempting with their various pitfalls and upsides.

Tony summoned a small bit of metal, twisting it between his fingers in thought.

He could set all of Asgard on fire, let the All-Father’s kingdom crumble in front of him.

Kill Frigga, let her bleed out in the king’s arms.

Or just kill his sons, dooming Asgard to a turbulent future where the nobles would fight to see who was next in line to be king.

Tony could feel the broken piece of metal in his chest heat up as his anger grew. He could easily remove it, but left it. The shard was a perfect reminder of what the All-Father had done.

With every rise and fall of his chest Tony could feel it cutting his insides, not letting him forget for even a moment what was done to him and his family.

The slight tingling sensation of Amora’s magic pulled Tony out of his musings. She was putting the finishing touches on the dough. She set it in the colder antechamber of the cave to let it rise overnight.

A moment later she returned to the cave and grabbed two stone cups, filling each to the brim with fine Aesir mead.

“You’re awfully quiet tonight,” Amora commented while handing him one of the cups. He took a sip and hummed in approval.

“I’m tired. I spent most of the day underground digging up metal.” It was a half-truth. He had spent most of the day underground, but he never had to dig to get the ore out of the earth. All he had to do was call it to him.

She didn’t need to know that, though.

Let her assume that they were on the same level magically. It would only make things easier for him if she ever let her knowledge of him still being alive slip out. Let everyone assume he was weak so it would hurt all the more when Tony took his revenge.

They ate in relative silence only broken by the crackling of the fire and Jarvis ripping apart a vole he had found in the forest. After dinner Amora began her predictable verbal release of distress. Jarvis was listening more carefully than Tony was. Whenever she asked him something, Jarvis would silently give him a response to say. Her idle chatter was time consuming, but on occasions she dropped a gem or two. Thankfully, Jarvis had an attention span far greater than Tony’s. All the god had to do was nod and occasionally comment on the indignity of it all.

Eventually she tuckered herself out. Amora stripped out of the majority of her gaudy clothing and glittering jewelry before joining him in bed. Tony extinguished the candles with a bit of magic. Amora fell asleep almost immediately, snuggling against him.

Tony met Jarvis’ glinting eyes in the darkness and the eagle reassured him that he’d be watching. That he’d stop the Aesir if she tried to hurt him.

Tony sighed in relief before drifting off to sleep.

* * *

 

He woke up with Amora’s lips wrapped around his cock.

Tony moaned in appreciation as she bobbed up and down. Of all the different people he knew Amora gave the third best blowjobs. Not that he’d ever tell her that.

She was quick about it, knowing exactly what got him off.

Amora gave him a salacious grin when she crawled out from under the sheets. Tony was still panting as their lips met. He began pulling up her dress when her hand stopped him.

“No thank you,” she said with an easy going smile. Tony snorted but didn’t comment as she slipped out of bed. He fell into a daze as he watched her form two loaves from the dough she had made the night before.

This could be his life. Some part of him knew that.

He could wake up in a cushy bed every morning with a warm body beside him, a nice Aesir or Vanir wife from a good family. Then, in a century or two, they could have a handful of little kids to keep his line going. He could run his father’s business, help Asgard flourish while filling his own coffers.

If he played the fool.

If he acted ignorant of everything that had transpired.

If he became a puppet for the All-Father.

The piece of metal in his chest was practically boiling him alive, his anger nearly consuming him - all the while he was just idly watching Amora with a half asleep expression.

He really was getting too good at hiding his emotions.

They ate breakfast in bed before they hid under the sheets and Amora told him even more about what happened since they last saw each other. This time Tony really did give her his full attention. She wasn’t talking about Asgard or any of the other things that seemed to set him on fire with hatred. Instead, she was recounting a rather interesting trip to Alfheim where she ended up stuck in a cabin with two spinsters and a fae while it hailed and sleeted outside.

Listening to her aimless adventures almost made him feel like a normal person, like he wasn’t sharpening himself into a deadly weapon every day, like he didn’t have nightmares of reaching out to his mother as she hurled herself into the Void, like he didn’t imagine killing the same person almost every waking moment.

Two hours later Amora started pretending to be coy and Tony easily read her intentions. He grinned at her and moved a bit closer, whispering a few choice words. She blushed while giving him a derisive look. A moment later, clothing was discarded and they started fucking. It wasn’t a race to the finish, though. Between them it was always slow, a lazy fuck that could last for hours, just pushing each other close to the edge and keeping them there for what felt like an eternity.

Tony was so familiar with her body, with her form of sex that he could anticipate her every reaction. He knew what would make her quiver, what would make her freeze for a split second, and what would make her moan silently.

Tony knew her body so well that he hardly even considered what they were doing as sex. He was thoughtlessly conducting her every motion, touching all the spots that would make her bend and tighten the way he wanted. There were not two separate minds. There was Tony’s hazy thoughts and Amora’s gratifying reactions.

He knew that she trusted him so much that she completely let go of everything. This was just another one of her escapes, and he had no problem with being that escape.

* * *

 

Amora languidly bathed in the galvanized tub that she always kept in her pocket dimension.

Tony honestly loved her content smile. It was one of his favorite things about her.

It was such a shame that he’d eventually make her cry. That she would hate him for killing Thor, for killing the whole royal family, or whatever plan he finally decided on. In the end she would hate him.

Tony pulled on his hunting gear, layering up to stave off the cold that was semi-permanent in this region of Niflheim. He left without saying a word to Amora and Jarvis came with him.

The golden eagle rose high above. Tony breathed in the crisp air, feeling the wind and gauging its speed as he held his bow loosely. He doubted that he’d use it, though. Jarvis did most of the hunting.

He headed far to the east, keeping his senses open, searching for any good veins of ore. He was so close to getting Surtur’s support and confidence. The fire demon hated Odin almost as much as Tony did and would be a key ally no matter what course of action he chose. Finding a metal that wouldn’t warp under extreme temperatures to trade with the demon would only strengthen Tony’s position.

Tony did find it a bit ironic that the only realm that had the ore that could withstand the infernal temperatures of Muspelheim’s bowels was located in the frozen realm.

Jarvis alerted him of a rabbit that was hiding in the bushes. Tony drew back an arrow and easily hit the small animal. After tying it to his side, he waved off the golden eagle and sat down on a fallen tree.

Tony pulled out a book and a pen from his satchel. He had to use a heating spell to melt the frozen ink in the pen. He mapped out the area he just traversed, taking note of all the different metals he had sensed. He might not need them now, but it would make it easier to find them later on, millenniums later if need be.

Far off Jarvis alerted him to an oncoming sleet storm. He thanked his guardian and servant silently. He still had plenty of time to survey a few other areas, though.

A few more hours slipped away. Tony was so focused on the ground and what laid beneath it that when he suddenly noticed a figure rising over the crest of a slope he froze.

His mind went into overdrive as he focused on the male.

Bladed scepter, six daggers hidden away, one in his left boot, another an inch from his hand. Plated armor under two layers of cloth. Weakest points neck and groin.

High cheekbones, pink nose, green eyes, gangly, stubborn yet alert posture.

Loki Odinson.

Odinson.

Odin.

Tony’s grip on his bow tightened and he was just about to raise it when he saw another figure, this one decidedly female. He forced himself to expand his attention beyond the Odinson.

Ten armored warriors in total. A manageable number. He just regretted not wearing his boots that had metal fillings in the heels.

And then he recognized Sif’s voice.

He reevaluated the situation. Loki, Sif, a royal guard, and seven others.

A battle hammer of uru.

Thor was here as well.

It was like they had just been laid at his feet, ready to be sacrificed.

Jarvis flew above and confirmed what Tony’s magic had already told him.

Countless plans formed in his mind as he played the lost Aesir, embracing the female warrior.

He could kill them all right here and now. Leave their bodies for the direwolves and for Heimdall to find.

But that was far too simple. Tony wanted to see Odin’s face when he realized everything he loved was ripped away from him.

Tony complemented Sif idly, thoughts briefly going back to the goddess in his home. They must be here for her.

A tentative plan formed in his mind, one in which he could bear witness to Odin’s downfall.

So he pretended to be happy to see the spawn of Odin and the other Aesir warriors.

Tony started gauging each individual. The ‘Warriors Three’ were firmly aligned with the oldest prince, Sif less so. There was an undertone of awkwardness to her. She wasn’t in the ‘boys club’ yet.

Loki was a whole other matter all by himself.

It was obvious he had a healthy suspicion towards Tony, which the older god could not fault him for.

Amora had made it quite clear how ostracized the youngest prince was and how he was often forced to accompany Thor as to keep him out of trouble. Tony would have to be certain that his façade was firmly in place around this one.

They mentioned capturing Amora. Tony glanced up at his golden eagle, telling him to set off one of the wards so that Amora would flee.

He had to hold back his mounting fury when he saw that Thor was genuinely angry with Amora. Thor’s anger was petty though, one that was childish and petulant. She really was too good for him and if they kept playing this game with each other, he feared that she would be hurt beyond repair.

Tony was relieved that she was gone by the time he reached his home. She had even changed the bedding and lit a few candles to cover the scent of their earlier fucking.

Tony almost dropped his mask when he saw that nearly all the Aesir unarmed themselves, save Loki and the guards. They were in his territory. Every piece of metal in this place had been touched by his magic more than once and was extremely responsive to him. It would take very little effort on his part to skewer them all in an instant.

He played his part as jovial host, though, only allowing himself to play with Thor once or twice. He subtly threatened and manipulated him, judging the others’ reactions. Frandral and Volstagg were appalled, Hogun was curious, Sif hadn’t even noticed, and Loki found it entertaining.

Interesting.

Tony fed them a few lines on why he never came back to Asgard, or at least why they had never noticed him coming back to Asgard.

Thor’s ego inflated and Tony prodded his abilities slightly. He was surprised by how easy it was to enrage the eldest prince. Luckily, Tony had timed his jibe perfectly so that one of the guards interrupted before Thor could become too cumbersome.

Tony took a seat between Sif and Hogun when he was finished cooking. They were the least likely to attack him.

He tensed slightly as he saw the starting motions of a spell, but relaxed instantly when he saw Loki was only summoning seasoning for his stew. Even more interesting was the reaction his magic incited.

Thor gave him a thinly veiled look of disgust and embarrassment. Frandral openly sneered. Hogun and Volstagg exchanged a humorous look. Sif hadn’t even noticed his actions, so out of tune with magic.

He leaned back onto the floor to hide his expression as he contemplated all the new information he was constantly being hit with. Jarvis asked him why he was letting his guard so far down and Tony silently responded that he only did so because he trusted that the eagle would alert him to any oncoming attacks.

Tony asked about why they were on Niflheim and felt his anger spurred to life again. Loki had some sort of tracking spell on Amora and he hadn’t noticed. Clearly Tony needed to brush up on tracking charms and spells.

He offered the two Odinsons his bed for the night and as he predicted, Thor was not one to share. It gave Tony a bit of sick satisfaction that not a few hours ago he and Amora were doing a lot more than just sharing in that bed.

Sif’s reaction to Thor’s state of undress was interesting. As Tony had suspected, she had a bit of a crush on the eldest prince. She was trying to be a warrior, yet her motives probably weren’t that pure.

Jarvis stood vigilant watch as Tony tried to sleep. He couldn’t slow his heart rate down, though. It was just so tempting to kill them all in one attack. Even if he had countless memories of playfully sparring with Volstagg and Frandral. Amusing memories of watching Sif get frustrated during magic lessons to the point of storming out of the room. Talking to Hogun about how stupid everyone was. Watching Loki tease Thor and Thor pummel him in return.

But then he remembered the desperate look on his mother’s face and those happy memories were snuffed out.

Eventually, he did fall asleep, but it was short lived.

Even while unconscious he could sense the slight movements of the four guards and the movement of their metal.

He was up before all the others and decided to cool his head in the antechamber of the cave, attending to his mare, Silva. Jarvis kept up a steady stream of random information, helping Tony calm down.

Tony was not surprised when Loki joined him. He had figured the youngest Aesir was probably an early riser. He didn’t have the same feel as the others. Where they were strictly physical warriors, Loki was a mixture of deadly weaponry and dangerous magic. In his experience, those of a learned disposition tended to not sleep as much as those who were stuck purely in the physical world.

Tony subtly stroked his ego while insulting Thor. The results were better than he expected. The younger prince was filled with frustration and concealed pain.

Loki freely gave information about Tony’s former classmates, most of which he already knew thanks to Amora.

He was vulnerable, a good source of information, and thousand times more bearable than his brother.

They walked back into the cave and he watched Thor and Loki bicker. It was childish, but showed genuine distaste for each other and mutual frustration.

Tony tested Thor’s temper and was once more amazed by how juvenile he was. Tony hardly had to do anything to make the fool bluster. Eventually, he put an end to their skirmish. He really did have expensive items along with detailed plans in his cave that he’d rather not be destroyed or revealed.

Tony showed them a bit of his magical power by sinking his home into the ground for safekeeping. Loki was practically preening at the sight, much to Tony’s amusement. The others were uneasy. Tony led the way back to the Bifrost point. Jarvis flew high above and Tony split his vision between himself and the raptor. The royal guards were keeping a close watch on him, more so than on their surroundings. Thor, the Warriors Three, and Sif road further away from him than they had done the day before. Loki was giving him almost curious, yet hopeful looks.

They stopped midday to eat. By then, Sif had gotten over her uneasiness at his use of magic. He chatted with her a bit and complimented her sword, framing her as a warrior in both their minds. He could tell how happy it made her and in turn that made him happy. It was refreshing to be around someone so naïve and innocent.

Throughout lunch Loki watched him. He did so subtly, but with Tony’s double vision he could watch him in return. Tony could see his expressions when he was facing away from him and Loki thought he was unobserved. He was quick to switch his expression to indifference when anyone looked his way. Tony was almost impressed.

The second half of the trip mirrored the first, except everyone was a bit more relaxed.

The Bifrost pulled them out of Niflheim.

“This realm has suffered in your family’s absence,” Heimdall said and it took every ounce of control for Tony not to kill him instantly.

The realm had suffered.

What about his mother’s suffering?

His father’s suffering?

What about his suffering?

What about the countless times he almost died? What about the times he was tortured? Or the moments when he thought about ending it all?

But Tony reeled in his righteous fury. Now was neither the time nor the place. He would have his revenge. Maybe he should blind the all-seeing god. Tony always did love a bit of irony.

The heat of Asgard engulfed him as they made their way into the city. His furs were not suited for this realm, but he wasn’t ready for the Aesir to recognize him yet.

Loki stuck by his side even when he subtly brushed off the group.

Tony teased him a bit and genuinely grinned when Loki teased in return.

The older god tensed slightly as he saw the front door to his manor. He had studied the lock on the front door on his occasional visits to the Realm Eternal.

It was just like his father to balance both physical and magical strength into one of his mechanisms. His love for making things overly complex was just one of the many reasons why Tony hated him.

With great effort he did unlock the door.

He had a couple drinks with Loki and was amused by how the younger god’s face quickly reddened. He was a light weight, unlike most Aesir.

“Are you satisfied or would you like to snoop while I get cleaned up?” Tony asked him while smiling. Loki crossed his arms indignantly, but it wasn’t the same hurt defensiveness that he got when Thor or one of the Warriors Three made a joke about him.

“Princes do not snoop,” Loki said with an air of snooty regality that was actually funny. He reminded Tony of a preening cat who secretly just wanted to be petted.

“If that’s the case I can lead you back to the door. Otherwise I can show you to the library. We have many books that even the royal library doesn’t have.” Tony teased and held back a genuine laugh when Loki almost pouted. “Books or the door. What do you want?”

“What makes you assume I am interested in books? I am an Aesir, after all.” Loki made a dismissive gesture, but Tony could tell he was watching him with hooded eyes, reading his reaction.

“Other than the fact that you’re a mage?” Tony moved a bit closer to him, allowing himself to laugh. “You’re missing that tan Aesir warriors usually have.”

“You don’t have it either,” Loki said, bristling up like a cat. It was oddly endearing and Tony decided that he actually enjoyed the young Aesir’s company. He was far more interesting than the other Aesir.  

“Yeah, that’s because I’ve been in Niflheim. In case you didn’t notice, there’s not a lot of sun there,” Tony teased and could tell Loki hadn’t expected such an easygoing response. Had he been expecting Tony to get defensive for not looking like the other Aesir? It just added to his belief that Loki was truly different from the other Aesir and suffered because of it. “Books or the door?”

“Books,” Loki said while pretending to be indifferent. An action that Tony accredited to years of being verbally attacked for actually wanting to read.

“Right this way, your majesty,” Tony said while holding back a grin.

For now he would see how things unfolded and how Loki would play into his plans.

* * *

 

**Note:[Temul](http://archiveofourown.org/users/Temul/pseuds/Temul) did an awesome drawing for this scene earlier called** [Princes Don't Snoop](http://archiveofourown.org/works/2684540). **Check it out.**

 

 


End file.
